Adjustable tracker.



VP. J. MEAHL. ADJUSTABLE rLRACKER. APPLICATION FILED DEO.17, 1910.

` Trackers, of which the following PHILIP JACOB Ml-EAHL, 0F BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters-Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, i912.

Application led Decmber'l?, 1910. Serial No. 597,941.

To aZZ'wwm it may concern:

' Be it known thatyI, PHILIP JACOB MEM-IL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bayonne, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Y is a speci-V iication.l I

This invention relates to a new and improved adjustable tracker for music playing instruments of the class which make use of a perforated music sheet, which is drawn over the tracker.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved tracker, which is simple in construction, has a single row of tracker ducts in alinement, which'tracker ducts can compensate readily be adjusted so as to adapt them for music sheets having a varying number of longitudinal rows of slots of different sizes in the several sheets and of different spacing 'and arrangements and which tracker also permits of readily adjusting the ducts to for shrinkage and expansion in the transverse direction of the perforated music sheet by simple and easily manipulated means.

In the accompanying drawings in which like'letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures: Figure 1 is an elevation ofv my improved-adjustable tracker, parts being `broken away fand Aothers shown in section. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional View of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspective view ofthesliding Ahinge pin pieces for the lazy tongs. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the nut. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the duct tubes.

The tracker 1 is provided in its top with a longitudinal slot 2, in the vertical walls of which two opposite horizontal and longitudinal guide grooves 3.are cut. vA number of duct tubes 4, say eighty-eight, preferably flattened, having their upper-ends curved inconformity with the transverse curvature of the top of the tracker, are loosely placed vertically into the slot 2, side b 7 side, soA that their upper curved ends are substantially fiushwith the curved top of the tracker and each duct tube 4 is provided nearits top with opposite side lugs 5, which rest loosely in the guide rooves 3 and prevent vertical movements 0% the duct tubes, but permit moving them toward and from each other.-v Each duct tube 4 is connected at its lower i end by a flexible tube 6 with the well known valve mechanism of a striker pneumatic.

' A U-shaped slide 7 is mounted on the upper and lower end part of each duct tube 4,below the tracker, and each has a pivot pin 8, which forni pivots for the ends of two members 9 of a 9 are .crossed and pivoted to each other at the intersections by pivot pins 11. The end' lazy tongs, and the members members of the lazy tongs are each pivotally connected, at the upper and lower ends, by

pivoted linksl?. with a nut i3 having a sidev pivot ltvfor the inner ends of said links. These nuts are mounted on the oppositely threaded end parts of a screw 15 in the end standards 16 oit' the tracker, which standards are united by a bar 17. A milled disk or button 18 or analogous device is fixed oiil one end ofthe screw 15 for turning it in one direction or the other. The tracker bar is provided with a fixed cover lQImade of cloth, leather, rubber or like flexible material at each end.

As is well known, the slots in 88 note-coinn mercialV perforated music sheets are spaced much closer transversely than thdse for notemusic, so that the rowof ducts in the tracker is longer for the G5 note music than the row of ducts' for the 88 note music. lVhen the 88 note 'perforated music sheet is to be used the button 18 is turned to bring the upper ends 'of the duct "tubes together so that the combined length cf their upper ends corresponds to the width of an ,88 note sheet and by turningl the screw 15 one way or the other the duct tubes are adjusted lto register precisely with the longi-- tudinal rows of slots in the music sheet. If this sheet has shrunken or expanded transversely under climatic, atmospheric or therv mometric influences, Correspondingieadjustment of the duct tubes can also be made. If 65 note music is to be used the screw 15 is turned to more the duet tubes from each other until their uppervends register with the spacing of 65 note music, the 'end ducts notrequired for-65 note music passing un der the covers 19. which close their upper ends.,

The duct tubes i may be made of metal, hard rubber, Celluloid or othebeomposition. Having described my inventionr what I claim aspnew'and desire to secure byv Letters Patent iszy -y 1;- A tracker, for musical instrument playiiigQ-attachments', havinga lcngitudinai slot in its top, duct tubes mounted loosely in said slot, and movable in alinement, toivard and from each' other, and means forv so moving them, substantially as set forth.

2. Atracker, for musical instrument playing attachments, having a longitudinal slot in its top, duct tubes mounted loosely in said slot, and movable in alinement, toward and fromeach other, and means for so moving them simultaneously;y substantially as set forth..

SQA tracker, for musical instrument playing attachments, having a. longitudinal slot in its top, duct tubes loosely mounted in said slot, with their upper ends vsubstantially flush With the top of the tracker, and movable, in alinemcnt, toward and from each other, and means for so moving them, substantially as set forth. l

4:. The combination with a tracker for a playing attachment for musical instru ments, of a series of duct. tubes movable, ment, toward and from each other in said slot, means for so moving them and covers at the end parts of the top ofthe tracker, substantially as set forth. y

5. The combination with tracker for a playing attachment for musical instruments, of a series of duct tubes movable in alinement toward and from each other, and a lazy tongs device for moving them, substantially as set forth.

v 6. The combination with a tracker for a playing attachment for musical instruments, of a series ot duct tubes movable in alinementtoward and from each other, vand a. lazy members or" the lazy tongs having movable pivoted connections With the tubes at the ends of each tube, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination With a tracker for a playing attachment for musical instruments, having a longitudinal slot in its top,

having a longitudinal slot in its top,

1n almetongs device for so moving them, the

image1 ofa series of duct tubs movable in alinement, toward and Jfrom each other. in said slot, and a lazy tongs device for moving them, and a right and lett screw for 'operating the lazy tongs device, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with a tracker, hav- .ing a longitudinal slot in its top and longitudinal guide slots in the walls of the slot,

or' duct tubes mounted loosely in the slot and` having projections entering said grooves and means for moving theduct tubes toward and from each other, substantially asset forth.`

9. The combination with a tracker having a longitudinal slot in its top, of duct tubes mounted movably toward' and from each other in said slot, guides for guiding the tubes in the slot andk preventing vertical movement of the tubes and means for moving the tubes toward andfrom each other, substantially as set forth.

l0. The combination With a tracker\.hav7 ing a longitudinal slot in its top, of ducttubes movable toward and from'ea'ch other in said slot, ot lazy'tongs connectedy with the tubes, end standards for the` tracker and a screw for operating the4 lazy tongsfmbunted in said standards, substantiallyv as set forth.

11. The combination with a tracker for playing atta-'.fhments tor mus'cal instruments, of a series of duct tubes movable in alinen Y ment'toward and from each ther and a fixed cover of yielding material nder which the end groups of duct tubes may pass, substantially as set forth. f

Signed at New York city, in the county of ANew York, and State ot New York, this 16th day of December, A. D. i910. i

Pl-HLP JACOB MEHL.

Witnesses n M. E. MCNINCH,

so l, 

